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Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Wild Bird Wednesday 251 - Oriental Magpie Robin

Still in India this week and still at Sultanpur National Park. This week's bird is an Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis).

I good if a little distant views of this rather wonderful little bird - apart from the fact that it was feeding near the floor, this bird reminded me of Pied Flycatchers - and a little research showed that they were in the same family.

This is a common and widespread bird in India - and I take this individual to be a female as it is not as glossy blue/black as the males seem to be. I have just found out that this bird is 'one of India's finest songsters', so its a bit of a shame I did not hear it sing.

I can't help myself when a bird has a name like this - because it is neither a robin or magpie!

As ever, to join in with WBW click the blue button below the thumbnails. SM

She doesn't look like a Robin or a Magpie, so what gives? A beautiful little bird for sure and maybe you did hear the song (If they are as common as you said) and didn't realize that was what you were hearing. I do hope you get to go back to this preserve some day. It seems to have been prolific ... a dream come true for a birder :) Have to run ... today is Raptor day for me. I am going every Wednesday now to Springbrook where they have moved some of our birds. That is the place where I was taught how to work with the Raptors and it feels good to be back. Have a great week, Stewart :)

Such a beautiful little bird -- so small and round and perfect, it almost looks too cute to be real! Weird to have such a strange name. Thank you so much for hosting; sorry to be so late in commenting ... I was on my way out the door when it was time to link -- I read your post but didn't have time to comment at that time and almost forgot to come back.